Zürich dropped from calendar; Bern a possible replacement

The Zürich E-Prix has been dropped from the season five calendar due to a clash with other events in the area, with the Swiss capital of Bern the favourite to take the now-vacant slot on 9th June.

A regular event held in Zürich every three years is the Zuri-Fascht Fesitval, which is due to take place at the beginning of July which just a few weeks prior will be the Zurich Pride Festival. The festivals use the same area of the city that Formula E made a circuit out of last season.

The local government released a statement which reads: “additional major event would be too great a burden for the population”.

It is understood that the capital city of Bern is the favourite to replace Zürich, with the local mayor hoping to keep the all-electric series in Switzerland.

Despite the cancellation of this year’s race, Zürich is hopeful is returning to the calendar in season six.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to find alternative dates that worked for both the city of Zurich and our calendar of events in 2019, but we remain in conversations for a potential return in 2020,” said a Formula E spokesperson.

“The Zurich ePrix in June proved to be a huge success at both a national and international level, seeing great participation on all fronts from multiple stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and media alike.

“This has also sparked interest from other cities within the country and our promoter is leading a number of discussions to look at alternatives for this coming season.

“We’re currently evaluating the best option from a technical and commercial perspective.

“With Formula E bringing back motorsport to Switzerland after nearly six decades, we can only be proud of how well we’ve been received nationwide.”